Rail car truck



IN VEN TOR.

ATTYS.

ALFRED O. WILLIAMS BY A- O. WILLIAMS RAIL CAR TRUCK Filed Sept. 13, 1951 4 M,M J

March 13, 1956 FIG. I

1 I (Rn FIG. 2

United States Patent EquipmentrCompany, Buchanan; Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application September-13; 1951,Seriall.N0. 246,400 9 (ll aims; (Cl: 105 -22 7) My invention relates; generally to rail car trucks, and, more specifically, is directed to a bolsterv assembly for rail. car..tr11cks.

Present rail car trucks with which lama familiar. generally comprise a pair of main side frame members which: are supported. at their ends. on suitable axle and wheel assemblies; Extending transversely of. the main side frame: members is. a bolster which at its ends is mounted on. the sidetrame members through swing links. ofrknownconstructiom The swing links are provided in order that the: rail car truck can move sidewise relative to the bolster and the car body supported thereon; Swing links are objectionable in that they occupy considerable spacer and, further, since numerous hearing supports are required; the swingjlinks. are. costly to fabricate and as semble in a rail car truck. A still further undesirable featureof the swing link-v suspension: is that, movement between, the and bolster is relatively unrestrained,-

It hasibeensuggested. that rubber bumper: means bedisposed; adjacent the endsof the bolster and mounted: on: the truck frame for limiting endwise. movementqof' the: bolster and car: body-.

It' is an object of my presentinvention to provide a 1 simple "andcompact bolster assembly'which-i avoids theaforementioned and other disadvantages: oft th6; k1'10Wn" swing; links, and which providesimprovedicushioning characteristics ot endwisemovement. of the bolster. and. car: body of presently: known constructions.

7 It: is anotherobject of my; present invention to" provide a bolster assemblyi comprising aa-bolster, a bolster" saddle resiliently supported thereon forxsupporting; a car bodyg. and guide means'o'nrtlte bolster s'addle for limitingjlateral: or sidewiseamovementi of v th'erbolster saddl'e relative to thebol'st'em lt isvstilla-nother objecttof my'presentainventiomt'o pro vide. a bolster assembly comprising a bolster, as bolster:

saddle resiliently supported theieoncforvsupporting aawcarv body and; means-- bet-ween the bolster andtbol'st'er saddle whicln will ofier: anincreasing rate: of: resistance to end-- wise.movement-. of. the; bolster saddle relative: to: the bolster as-the extentsofi suchaend-wise movementiincreasess I propose to! accomplish: the aforementioned: object". by providing the bolster saddle with resilient means preferably in theiformlof-blockmembers-adjacentthe: corners thereofwirh. the resilient means at one pairiofi diagonal comers of r the bolster saddle being, adapted to a frictional- 1y engage thesides' of the holster upon' vinitial 'endwise' movementaofi. the bolster saddle: longitudinallywo1he bolster fornresistingrfurthen movement of the bolster: saddle longitudinally Ofthe bolster.

his a further. objectofrmy presentinvention to pro vid'e meansbetween.thebolster and bolster saddleiwhich. will' translate end'wise, movement or the. bolstensaddle relative to the bolster into rotationalnmovementa To accomplish this object, I' secure a vertical laterally extending. fi'angerp'late to the bolster intermediateof thei endsth'ereof; I" also secure resilient blocks to the bolster 2,737,908 Patented Mar. 13,1956;

2 v saddle adjacentopposite sides. of the flangeplate. Upon initial endwise, movement of the bolster saddle longitudinally of the bolster, one of the'resilient blocks. engages: thefiangeplatecausing; the bolster saddle to rotate; This rotational movement urges the aforementioned resilient block. members at one pair'of diagonal corners. of the bolster saddleinto frictional engagement with the bolster forresistingfurther movement of the bolster saddle longitudinallyof the: bolster.

It isa further objectiof. my present invention toprovide: a rail: car. truck comprising a bolster assembly of the character described wherein resilient sandwich. mem hers aredisposed atrthe ends of the bolster and:,are': seicured atatheir lower. surfaces to the main side'frame memhers-of. the truckandat their upper surfaces to the-bolster for normally maintaining the bolster at. right anglesrela tive to: the main side frame: members.

It is. a stillfurther'object of .my present. invention. toprovidea: rail car truck comprising a bolster assembly'o'f the character described which'may be interchangeably mounted beneath any standard rail car,

Now,,in order? to acquaint those. skilled inthe art with thezmanner of constructing and: using the devices of my present invention, I shall describe in. connection with: the accompanying: drawing. a: preferred embodiment of my invention;

In the drawings:

Figure 1. is a partial: plan: view of the rail cartruck of my'present i'nventionz with a portion of the-bolster saddle: being; broken away for the sakeof clarity; and

Figure 2-lisra verticalisectionalview of-"the rail car. truck of. Figures-1Ltakenasubstantialiy' along the'lin'e' of" Figure 1'.

illeferringnowtoi the drawing, there is indicated gen-- erally; byth'e? reference numeral 10' a rail car truck cont prising; parallel-spaced apart main side frame members 11. Conventional journal boxes 121 are fixed-at the ends ofl'the' main': side fram'e-memb'ers 11-. and the journal boxes 12 receive the endsof' axlesIsg on which conventional flanged rail Wheels 14 are suitably secured;

Tb'emain side frame members 11 are" provided with vertically extendingspaced apart flange members-9 which" define: central openings for receiving the" ends of a' truck bolster li-wh'ich extends transversely" of the rail car: truck 1%); The tnuck b01ster 15 at each side adjacent" the ends thereof is formed With shoulders 8. The" flange members 9s'erve'as guid'e-meansand limitlateral or side'- wisemovement of tlie b olster' 15 relative to the sidb'f'ram'e'z memberslll, and the-slioulderstl limit endwise movement of the -bolster 15rel'ati've to the side frame members 11 a and maintain the side tram-remembers- 111m proper; spaced.

relation". The ends of the truck bolsterv 15' are preferably supported on the main side frame members lliby means of resilient sandwich members which are indicated gem erallybythe reference"- numerals 161 Each? resilient sandwielrniember 16 comprisesa pair of vertically spaced metallic platermembers 1"! and118; which are respectively vulcanized to the: upper' and lower surfacesfof an inter,-

mediate'rub'her element 19. The upper metallic plate member l-T is' suitably secured to theiundersid'e of the :trucl't boister-;1"5" and the lower metallic-plate member 18' is'suitably'securedto the main side frame member 11; The resilient sandwich members 16 tend to maintain thetruck' bolster 15 at right angles relative to the main,

sideframe members Any tendency offthe trucl'c, -.b01ster'15 to angle relative to the main side framemem bersLIT cau'ses the rubber elements v 19 to deflect torsional; ly'about" their vertical axes.

The trucklibolster 15 is formed centrally of the ends-'- thereof with a conventional king: piniseatifi.

'Extending.transversely of the railcar truck 10 and-overlying the truck bolster is an inverted substantially U-shaped bolster saddle member 27 having guide means comprising a pair of vertically downwardly depending legs 51 and 52. The guide means are provided for limiting lateral or sidewise movement of the bolster saddle 27 relative to the bolster 15. The bolster saddle 27 has formed on the underside of the bight portion thereof, a projection 28 which is received in the aforementioned king pin seat 26 of the truck bolster 15. The projection 28 is provided for limiting endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the truck bolster 15. Relative movement between the bolster saddle 27 and the bolster 15 may be varied by varying the distance A as indicated in Figure 2. The upper surface of the bolster saddle 27 is formed with a king pin seat 29 which is adapted to receive the king pin of a car body. An opening 50 may be formed in the vertical leg 51 of the bolster saddle 27 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Interposed between the ends of the bolster saddle 27 and the truck bolster 15 are resilient sandwich members 30 which comprise upper plate members 31 suitably secured to the underside of the bolster saddle 27 and the lower plate members 32 suitably secured to the upper surface of the truck bolster 15. Suitably vulcanized between the associated upper and lower plate members 31 and 32 are rubber elements 33. Limited endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the truck bolster 15 is permitted through shear displacement of the rubber elements 33 of the resilient sandwich members 30.

In the preferred form of my invention, frictional block members 34, 35, 36, and 37, are suitably secured to the guide means of vertical legs 51 and 52 of the inverted U-shaped bolster saddle 27 at the ends thereof and face the sides of the truck bolster 15. The block members 34, 35, 36, and 37 are preferably formed of rubber but the block members may be formed of other suitable friction material. The block members are adapted to frictionally engage the sides of the bolster 15 upon initial endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the bolster 15 for resisting further endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the bolster 15.

In order to positively urge the block members 34, 35, 36, or 37 into frictional engagement with the sides of the bolster 15, I propose to provide means for translating endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the bolster 15 into rotational movement. Such means comprises a vertical laterally extending flange plate 37 which is secured to the bolster 15 and extends through the opening 50 in the vertical leg 51 of the inverted U-shaped bolster saddle 27, as shown in Figure 1. Disposed on each side of the flange plate 37 are resilient members 38 and 39 which are preferably cup-shaped and formed of rubber. Coil springs may be employed in place of the resilient members 38 and 39. The resilient members 38 and 39 are bolted to angle flange members 40 and 41 which in turn are suitably secured to the adjacent vertical leg 51 of the bolster saddle 27.

Upon initial endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the bolster 15 to the left as viewed in Figure 1, the resilient member 39 will engage the adjacent side of the flange plate 37 thereby causing the bolster saddle 27 to rotate counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 1. The resisting moment thus set up, which is equal to the force F, resisting endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27, multiplied by the lever arm L, will cause the block members 34 and 36 to be disposed into frictional engagement with the sides of the bolster 15. Upon further endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 relative to the bolster 15, the resisting force F increases thereby increasing the resisting moment and the force with which the block members 34 and 36 are urged into engagement with the sides of the bolster 15. It will be apparent that as the force urging the block members 34 and 36 into frictional engagement with the sides of the bolster 15 increases, the resistance oifered to endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 will increase. It will thus be seen 4 t that the block members 34 and 36 will offer an increasing rate of resistance to endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 relative to the bolster 15, as the extent of such endwise movement increases.

Upon initial endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 longitudinally of the bolster 15 to the right, as viewed in Figure l, the resilient member 38 will engage the adjacent side of the flange plate 37 setting up a resisting moment in the opposite direction to that described above. The bolster saddle 27 will thus be caused to rotate clockwise as viewed in Figure 1, thereby urging the block members 35 and 37 into frictional engagement with the sides of the bolster 15. Further endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 increases the resisting moment and the force with which the block members 35 and 37 are urged into frictional engagement with the sides of the bolster 15. It will thus be seen that the block members 35 and 37 will, in the same manner as block members 34 and 36, offer an increasing rate of resistance to endwise movement of the bolster saddle 27 relative to the bolster 15, as the extent of such endwise movement increases. The snubbing action between the block members and the bolster 15, during movement of the bolster saddle 27 away from mid-position, serves to dissipate energy, in the form of heat, so that the energy remaining for returning the bolster saddle to mid-position is reduced. During return movement of the bolster saddle 27 to mid-position there will be some frictional snubbing between the block members and the bolster 15 and thus further energy is dissipated.

In certain applications of my invention, it may be desired that small endwise movements of the bolster saddle 27 be unrestrained. To permit such unrestrained movement, predetermined spacing may be provided between the ends of the resilient members 38 and 39 and the adjacent surfaces of the flange 37'. The degree of spacing between the ends of the resilient members 38 and 39 andthe adjacent surfaces of the flange 37 may be varied in order that the characteristics of the rotational means may be varied as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple and compact bolster assembly which avoids the disadvantages of conventional swing link suspensions, but incorporates its advantages and in addition provides improved snubbing characteristics of endwise movement of the car body supported thereon.

Conventional side bearing members indicated at 42 are disposed in retaining members 43 suitably secured as by bolts to the upper surface of the bolster saddle 27 adjacent the ends thereof. Since the bolster saddle 27 is provided with conventional bearing members 42 adjacent the ends thereof and with a king pin seat 29 centrally thereof, it will be seen that the rail car truck of my present invention may be interchangeably mounted beneath any standard rail car.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be a preferred embodiment of my present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my present invention.

I claim:

1. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a bolster saddle resiliently mounted on said bolster, frictional means carried by said bolster saddle and adapted to engage the sides of said bolster, and means between said bolster and said bolster saddle for translating movement of the latter longitudinally of said bolster into rotational movement whereby at least one of said frictional means is forced into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

2. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a bolster saddle overlying said bolster, resilient means for supporting said bolster saddle on said bolster, frictional means carried by said bolster saddle at the corners thereof and adapted to engage the sides of said bolster, and means between said bolster and said bolster saddle for translating relative movement of the latter longitudinally of said bolster into rotational movement whereby said frictional means at one pair of diagonal corners of said bolster saddle are forced into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

3. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a bolster saddle overlying said bolster, resilient sandwich members at the ends of said bolster saddle secured at their lower surfaces to said bolster and at their upper surfaces to said bolster saddle, frictional block members carried by the vertical legs of said bolster saddle adjacent the ends thereof and facing the sides of said bolster, and means between said bolster and smd bolster saddle for translating relative movement of the latter longitudinally of said bolster into rotational movement whereby said frictional block members at one pair of diagonal corners of said bolster saddle are forced into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

4. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a bolster saddle resiliently mounted on said bolster, a vertical laterally extending flange plate carried by said bolster intermediate the ends thereof, and resilient means adjacent opposite sides of said flange plate and carried by said bolster saddle whereby upon relative movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster one of said resilient means engages said fiange plate causing said bolster saddle to rotate thereby translating longitudinal movement of said bolster saddle into rotational movement.

5. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a bolster saddle overlying said bolster, resilient sandwich members at the ends of said bolster saddle secured at their lower surfaces to said bolster and at their upper surfaces to said bolster saddle, frictional block members carried by said bolster saddle adjacent the ends thereof and facing the sides of said bolster, a vertical laterally extending flange plate carried by said bolster intermediate the ends thereof, resilient means adjacent opposite sides of said flange plate and carried by said bolster saddle whereby upon relative movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster, one of said resilient means engages said flange plate causing said bolster saddle to rotate thereby forcing said frictional block members at one pair of diagonal corners of said bolster saddle into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

6. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a king pin seat formed in said bolster centrally of the ends thereof, a bolster saddle resiliently mounted on said bolster, a projection formed on the underside of said bolster saddle adapted to cooperate with said king pin seat in said bolster for limiting movement of said bolster saddle relative to said bolster, a king pin seat formed in the upper surface of said bolster saddle for receiving the king pin of a car body, and means between said bolster and said bolster saddle for translating movement of the latter longitudinally of said bolster into rotational movement.

7. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster,

a king pin seat formed in said bolster centrally of the ends thereof, a bolster saddle resiliently mounted on said bolster, a projection formed on the underside of said bolster saddle adapted to cooperate with said king pin seat in said bolster for limiting movement of said bolster saddle relative to said bolster, a king pin seat formed in the upper surface of said bolster saddle for receiving the king pin of a car body, frictional means carried by said bolster saddle and adapted to engage the sides of said bolster, and means between said bolster and said bolster saddle for translating relative movement of the latter longitudinally of said bolster into rotational movement whereby at least one of said frictional means is forced into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

8. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a king pin seat formed in said bolster centrally of the ends thereof, a bolster saddle resiliently mounted on said bolster, a projection formed on the underside of said bolster saddle adapted to cooperate with said king pin seat in said bolster for limiting movement of said bolster saddle relative to said bolster, a king pin seat formed in the upper surface of said bolster saddle for receiving the king pin of a car body, a vertical laterally extending flange plate carried by said bolster intermediate the ends thereof, resilient means adjacent opposite sides of said flange plate and carried by said bolster saddle whereby upon relative movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster one of said resilient means engages said flange plate causing said bolster saddle to rotate thereby translating longitudinal movement of said bolster saddle into rotational movement.

9. In a rail car truck, the combination of a bolster, a king pin seat formed in said bolster centrally of the ends thereof, a substantially inverted U-shaped bolster saddle overlying said bolster, resilient sandwich members at the ends of said bolster saddle secured at their lower surfaces to said bolster and at their upper surfaces to said bolster saddle, a projection formed on the underside of said bolster saddle adapted to cooperate with said king pin seat in said bolster for limiting movement of said bolster saddle relative to said bolster, a king pin seat formed in the upper surface of said bolster saddle for receiving the king pin of a car body, frictional block members carried by the vertical legs of said bolster saddle adjacent the ends thereof and facing the sides of said bolster, a vertical laterally extending flange plate carried by said bolster intermediate the ends thereof, resilient means adjacent opposite sides of said flange plate and carried by said bolster saddle whereby upon relative movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster one of said resilient means engages said flange plate causing said bolster saddle to rotate thereby forcing said frictional block members at one pair of diagonal corners of said bolster saddle into frictional engagement with said bolster for resisting further movement of said bolster saddle longitudinally of said bolster.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,228 Westlake Apr. 26, 1904 1,670,143 Drenning May 15, 1928 2,492,337 Travilla Dec. 27, 1949 

